Our bodies are able to efficiently convert certain types of fatty compounds into energy, and MCT oil is rapidly becoming one of the most reliable and healthy choices available.
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) are types of fats that are commonly found in oils, such as palm, coconut and avocado oils. But we know that not all types of fatty acids are of equal composition, and our bodies are able to break down the different types and use them in different ways.
Fatty acids are categorized by the number of carbon atoms they have, and the length of the chain of atoms determines the ease by which the liver is able to break down the chain and use the atoms as energy.
Short-chain fats have around 6 carbon atoms, medium-chain have between 6 to 12, and long-chain fats have between 13 and 21. Since the longer chain takes more time to absorb, the fats are not metabolized as quickly and will be eventually store in the body tissue as fat.
Medium-chain fatty acids, however, are rapidly growing in popularity, especially amongst Keto diet enthusiasts, because very soon after ingesting the fats can be converted into ketones and used by the body as physical and mental energy.
There are several types of foods that are rich in MCTs, and they include wild-caught salmon, ground chia seeds, walnuts, wild-caught sardines, flax seed, avocado oil, and olive oil.
There are many variations of fatty acid content in each type of food, for example grass fed butter will have around 8% of MCTs, and other dairy products around 9 to 10%.
Coconut oil has roughly 65% MCTs, making it one of the most concentrated sources of naturally available MCTs.
Best MCT oil
When seeking the best, there are a few important considerations to be made, and fortunately health food product manufacturers and Keto-enthusiasts have caught on to the incredible potential of these powerful oils. There are now dozens of options for supplements that are pure 100% MCT and skip over the long-chain fatty acids that are also in the makeup of the aforementioned MCT-rich foods.
Coconut Oil-based
Coconut oils have been used in tropical countries for generations because of its numerous health benefits with nearly no adverse effects. And because of the incredibly rich and concentrated volume of MCTs in coconut oil they have been chosen as the ideal source for many of the pure 100% supplements.
Coconut oil contains four types of medium-chain fatty acids, each with a differing amount of carbon atoms: caprioic acid (6 carbon atoms), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10), and lauric acid (C12).
Lauric acid has 12 carbon atoms and therefore is less efficiently absorbed by the liver. Some supplements do not remove the lauric acid while others do remove it, claiming that it will reduce the overall effectiveness of the absorption of the fatty acids and energy producing capabilities of the oil.
Some may find the separation of the various types of MCTs to be splitting hairs, but others maintain that the best 100% MCT supplements cut out as much lauric acid as they can, if not all, and should contain as much caprylic and capric acid as possible.
MCT oil powder
Beyond pure MCT taken as an oil, there are many powders that can be doubly efficient for ingesting these powerful, energy-producing fatty acids because they can be added to other powdered supplements and taken together as one.
What is surprising is that most MCT powders do not contain other supplements and are sold only with the MCT fatty acids. As a powder there is an incredible potential to exponentially increase the benefits, and as a natural energy booster MCTs are an excellent carrier powder for other ingredients with similar effects.
One such supplement that utilizes MCTs as a powder instead of an oil is Medicinal-Foods.com's Smart Cream Coconut Creamer. The central ingredient is the coconut oil-derived MCT powder, with several other powerful supplements that complement the energy boosting potential of pure MCT.
And as a coffee creamer this unique blend is an excellent way to begin the day. A traditional coffee cream or milk will have nowhere near the amount of healthy fatty acids, and so instead of boosting energy the less-than-ideal long-chain fatty acids will be stored in our fat tissue.
The Smart Cream Coconut Creamer has the opposite effect, in that the creamer will not only give more natural energy but is combined with other powerful nutrients that aid in a variety of ways.
The first is Lion’s Mane Mushroom, which has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries for its stimulating effect on the brain, as well as its adaptogenic qualities for hormonal balance with a pacifying, soothing effect.
In fact, Lion’s Mane has been used my monks before entering into a meditative state because of its clarifying and calmly stimulating effect.
When MCTs are being broken down by the liver into ketones for energy, that energy is able to travel directly to the brain and provide a stable increase in mental clarity. Lion’s Mane acts in a very similar way, so when combined together in the same powdered supplement the two provide a unique and natural way for augmenting energy levels in an efficient way that does not tax the body.
Organic MCT oil
For many years the everyday Western consumer was been misled or confused about the role of fatty acids in our diets and how a product such as organic oil can actually help a person lose weight, control appetite and provide a quick and efficient energy boost.
We were told that fats were simply to be avoided whenever possible, and that they were all essentially the same. Fortunately, much research has been conducted to discriminate between what fats can be utilized quickly by the body for mental and physical energy.
Supplementing our diets with foods rich in MCTs are an excellent way for a natural source of energy, and taking it a step further are the many companies that now offer 100% pure oil that cut out the long-chain fatty acids even further which that end up getting stored in our bodies.
MCT oil in powdered form are also an excellent way to naturally boost energy in an organic and holistic way with incredible potential because of the ability to add to other energy-boosting supplements.
